Hook for harness



(No Model.) v

D. E. KEMPSTER. HOOK FOR HARNESS.

No. 401,173. Patented Apr. 9, 1889.

I @m m N. PETERS. Fluvial- WW WaNnglnn, D. C.

UNITED STATES ArnNr Fries.

DANIEL E. KEMPSTER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

HOOK FOR HARNESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 401,173, dated April 9,1889.

Application filed January 14, 1889- Serial No. 296,343. (No model!) I Toall whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIELE. Knnrsrnn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harness-Hooks; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in hooks, buckles, and othermetal fastenings used in connection with harnesses.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient means ofsecuring the chafing-leather between said metal fastening and theportion of harness which surrounds it, whereby said chafing-leather maybe held in its place without liability of its slipping around or workingout from between the metal and harness under any severe strain which maynecessarily come upon it, and yet said chafing-leather be so held as tobe easily and quickly-removed when worn out and replaced by a new piecewithout the necessity of any stitching or riveting heretofore employedfor holding said chafing-leather in place.

My invention consists in the novel construction and combination ofdevices herein described, and the special features thereof I havedistinctly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 represents a side View of myinvention as applied to an ordinary breeching'hook and its connectinstrap. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line A B inFig. 1. Fig. is a cross-section of the same on the line C D in Fig. 1.Fig. l is a side view of my invention as applied to an ordinary trace orchain hook and its connecting-strap, a portion of said strap or traceand its chafing-leather being broken away and shown in section, and oneof the pivoted clamps opened outwardly to expose to view the corrugatedtongue out-he crossbar or frame of the hook or link.

' Referringby letter to the drawings, in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, anordinarybreeching-hook consisting of the hook at, its pivoted dog orring 19, and frame 0 is provided with the projection or pivot at,extending outwardly and forming a bearing for the clamps c 6, free toswivel thereon, but prevented from disconnecting therefrom by the headon the outer end of said pivot, said clamps being held securely togetherby the pressure-screw f therein.

The cross-bar of the hook-frame, which is encircled by the harness,instead of being round, as is usual, I form in the shape of a corrugatedwedge-shaped tongue, 9, extending outwardly in alignment with the hook.

it is an ordinary breeching strap, made strong by stitching together twothicknesses of leather, and is provided with the buckle c for adjustingits length, in the usual manner.

75 is the chafing-leather surrounding the cross-bar and its tongue g,which extends out between the two parts of the former, tightly pressedagainst the latter, so as to be embedded in the corrugations thereon bythe force of the clamps which clasp the two parts of the breechin'-strap firmly together by the clamp-screw provided therefor. (See Figs.2 and 3.)

The hook above described is designed to be used with a neck-yoke orspreader, the breeching-strap connecting with the brecching ring or linkof the harness in the usual manner, and its opposite end passing throughthe frame of the breeching-hook and around the cross-bar and tonguethereof, and its extreme end buckled to the main portion of said strap,thus forming a bight or loop, within which is interposed thechafing-leather between the strap and metal bar or tongue of the hook,thereby effectually preventing any abrasion or wear upon saidbreeching-strap.

Z is the ordinary strap connected to the hame of the horse, and itsother end connected to the metal loop of the hook-fra1ne. (See Fig. 1.)If preferred, said loop may be dispensed with and said strap passthrough the same aperture with the breeching-strap, but in that casesaid aperture would be formed considerably larger.

lleretofore it has been customary to stitch or rivet the two parts ofthe chafing-leather together to secure it around the cross-bar of thebreeching-hook, and also to more closely confine the breeching-strap andprevent the bight or loop from spreading apart it is customary toprovide one or more leather loops for encircling the two parts of saidbreechingstrap between the hook and buckle. These loops naturally slipalong on the bight of the strap until they find the smallest placethereon, which is usually near the buckle, and this is veryobjtctionable, as it permits the bight or loop of the breeching-strap togap open and allow thechafing-leather to swing around out of place,which is not only unsightly, but also tends to hasten the wear upon boththe chafing-leather and its breeching-strap. Furthermore, when necessaryto renew said chafingleather, it requires the services of a harnessmakeror some one having the necessary tools for either stitching or rivetingit upon the metal hook or fastening.

Fig. at is an ordinary trace or chain hook, consisting of the hook a,chain 1), swivel-eye b", and frame 0, provided with the pivot d, clampse e, screw f, tongue g, and trace h, the end of which passes through theframe of the trace-hook and around. the cross-bar and its tongue, and issecurely fastened to the main portion of said trace by the rivet-s z" i,thus forming a bight or loop therein of sufficient length to admit ofplacing the chafingleather between the inner side of said trace and themetal fastening, all arranged and operating substantially in a similarmanner as before described with relation to the breech ing hook andstrap. The other end of said trace is firmly attached to the hame orother part of the harness in the usual manner, and is adjusted as tolength by passing the hook and chain through the link or ring on thewhiifletree and then hooking it back into a link of the main portion ofsaid chain in the ordinary manner.

I-Ieretofore it has been customary to stitch or rivet the two parts ofthe trace and chafing leather through and through close up to thecross-bar of the hook-frame, thereby securing them together and making asolid connection, which, when worn thin by usage, requires to be sent toa harn ess-maker and made up new again. This is quite an expense whenconsidered as applying to a large and heavy teaming business, andespecially to any of our horse-railway companies, where I consider theapplication of my invention to the tugs or traces thereof as being ofgreat value in point of economy, utility, and general efficiency.

With my invention all the objectionable features referred to, both inregard to the breeching-hook an d also the trace or chain hook, areentirely obviated, as it will be seen that when necessary to adjust thelength of the breeching-strap or to renew the chafingleather of eithersaid breechingstrap or the trace or tug it is only necessary to removethe clamp-screw and swing the clamps back off from the strap, when thetwo parts of the bight or loop of the latter may be separated and saidstrap (if the breeching) adjusted in length by buckling it longer orshorter, as desired, and the chafing-leather, when worn, may be easilyremoved and quickly replaced by another. The clamps are then swung overthe straps, so as to clasp both parts of the latter together with itschafing-leather between, and held securely in place by being embedded inthe corrugations in the tongue of the metal hook. or fastening under thepressure of the encircling clamps held in place by their hinge or pivotand the pressure-adjusting screw, this entire operation being easily andquickly done while the horses are taking their midday feed upon thestreet, at or any time desired, as it requires only a few minutes toeffect the required change herein described.

It should be observed that I dispense with the ordinary leather loopsemployed for holding the two parts of the bight or loop of theharness-strap together, the pivoted clamps fully and more effectivelyanswering their purpose, as well as being quite ornamental to theharness, the whole device being simple to operate, of durableconstruction, and at the same time inexpensive to manufacture.

lVhat I desire to claim is 1. A harness hook or fastening provided witha tongue adapted to lie between the two parts of the chafing-leather andharness-strap, substantially as described, combined with two clampspivotally connected to each other and to said harness hook or fasteningand adapted to clasp the bight or loop of said strap, and means fordrawing and holding said clamps together, for the purpose hereinspecified and set forth.

The harness hook or fastening, substantially as herein described, havinga tongue, and two pivoted clamps pivoted to said hook, and aclamp-tightening screw, in combination with the harness-strap and itschafing-leather, substantially as set forth.

The herein -described harness hook or fastening, consisting of the hooka, dog Z), frame 0, pivot (Z, clamps c c, screw f, and tongue g, allconstructed and arranged to operate substantially as specified.

at. A harness hook or fastening ofthe class herein described, combinedwith the two clamps e e, pivoted thereto, and the pressureadjustingscrew f, all substantially as and for DANIEL E. KEMPSTER.

lVitness es:

HENRY OHADBOURN, M. B. McMANUs.

